Jacob, his ladder; Elliot, his rocket. Nearly a year, every wage Elliot made down at Thompson’s Organ Factory was put into his backyard science experiment. He used an old tire for a seat, siding from a broken wagon, metal springs and the rounded edge of a mailbox. Took up half the barn. Not six months ago, two brothers named Wright got a flying machine off the ground. Was 12 seconds.

“I’ll beat that aeroplane,” said Elliot. “I’ll be first to fly over the moon.”

At supper, Elliot claimed he’d launch the next day and our littlest brother, Bobby, started to cry. “When will you be back?”

Then, we heard an explosion, like the time we threw dynamite in a well, when we was kids. Through the sky sang a white cloud, a snake unwinding into thinner and thinner stands. Then, like something we once saw at the fair. Fireworks. Firey rain and sparks.

Bobby dropped the jar and it broke.

Troy Farahis a journalist and photographer born in the desert. His work has appeared in Phoenix New Times and Flag Live. His photos have appeared on VICE.com’s photo blog and a number of books. For fun, Troy likes to jaywalk, collect cartridge video games, binge drink and get beat up in mosh pits. His website is filthfiller.com.

About String-of-10
The String-of-10 Contest challenges writers to choose four out of ten prompt words and use them in a story of 250 or fewer words, and an aphorism is provided for inspiration but does not need to be used in the story. The prompt words for String-of-10 FOUR were: JAR — MOSS — GRAVITY — EDGE — CAST — STAND — ORGAN — TIRE — BITTER — WAGE. The aphorism was: “Freedom is a possession of inestimable value.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero

This story is sponsored byHydra House — Publisher of Pacific Northwest science fiction and fantasy, including K.C. Ball’s collection of scifi shorts “Snapshots from a Black Hole & Other Oddities” and Danika Dinsmore’s middle-grade fantasy “The Ruins of Noe,” sequel to “Brigitta of the White Forest.”

Congratulations to Troy Farah for writing such a great story for Flash Fiction Chronicles’ String-of-10 FOUR Flash Fiction Contest!! After reading the winning story here, selected by Guest Judge Robert Swartwood, buzz over to FFC to read Michelle Reale’s interview with Troy!

Every Day Fiction is a magazine that specializes in bringing you fine fiction in bite-sized doses. Every day, we publish a new short story of 1000 words or fewer that can be read during your lunch hour, on transit, or even over breakfast.

Feel free to browse around the site, check out our archives, or even sign up to receive a flash fiction story in your inbox... every day!